With the advent of plastic and the advances made in technology over the past several decades, the number of toys and tools available for use with feeding and entertaining small children has exploded. With that explosion has evolved a need for ways to keep toys, eating and drinking utensils, and educational playthings from being thrown or falling to the floor where a child in a car seat or high chair is unable to reach them. Several possibilities have been developed: an activity toy consisting of a metal wire frame about 7 inches high and 10.5 inches wide attaches to a high chair tray by two large red suction cups. Several brightly colored plastic toys hang from the wire frame for the child to play with. This toy is not convertible or able to be used with other toys, requires a flat surface to which the suction cups can adhere, and sits directly in front of the child which means it will need to be moved when the child tires of playing with it. Certain other toys come with a strap which is intrinsic to the toy. The single end of the strap may include a clipping mechanism which is intended to be associated with the car seat or high chair or crib, or even with the child's clothing. Pacifiers and teething rings include these types of attachments. However, most include a strap having one end equipped to attach to the child's clothing via a clip, and the other may include a fabric loop secured by Velcro, which may be threaded through the ring typically present on the pacifier. Many of these tools do not include a breakaway point to avoid strangulation, many include choking hazards, some include materials that absorb biofluids and are difficult to adequately clean.
Straps are available for securing toys to another object; one such strap brand name NiNi Toy Bungee includes two separate pieces, the first of which is an anchor portion having an eye through which the end may be threaded to form a slip-loop and a snap or clipping mechanism for a purpose to be described, the second piece comprising a strap portion having openings and buttons spaced apart near a first end, and a snap or clipping mechanism on the other the end to mate with and be secured to the snap or clipping mechanism on the anchor portion. The first end of the strap portion may be arranged to form a loop around a toy, or sippy cup, etc., and secured by inserting one of the buttons into one of the openings. While this strap accomplishes the objective of securing a toy or first item to a second, it is rather complex. Further, the snapping mechanism poses pinch possibilities and buttons appear to create a choking hazard. Finally, this strap does not appear to include any breakaway feature despite the fact that its length may possibly encircle an arm or leg, and, perhaps, a neck.
Another securing device on the market includes an elastic band covered by gathered fabric, each end completed by a snap or clipping device. As the elastic is stretched the fabric's gathers elongate to allow for the increase in length. The fabric covered strap may be a strangulation hazard; the clips can pose a choking hazard. The fabric and elastic are materials that may absorb biological fluids which require washing, yet, it is not certain that these materials will withstand multiple washes, nor whether the associated clips may be washable to the extent required. Importantly, the clips are unlikely to be strong enough to withstand much pressure and they do not provide means to associate hard objects with the straps; if one attempts to loop the strap around an object and associate the clip with the strap thereby securing the object, it is highly likely that when the strap is stretched the clip will disengage.
What was needed was a means to secure a toy or other object in a manner that removes choking and strangulation hazards, is simple to use, and is durable while being constructed of nontoxic materials.
A first objective of the present invention is to provide means to associate a first item and a second item;
A second objective is to provide means that do not include any detachable parts, that is of unitary structure made of nontoxic material;
A third objective of the present invention is to provide a strap device that includes breakaway features to minimize or eliminate strangulation hazards;
A fourth objective of the present invention is to provide a strap device for associating a first object with a second object which is adjustable in accordance with the size of the second object, and is durable both for its intended use and for easy cleaning as often as needed.